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Fifty plus weavings collected by Millicent Rogers herself from 1947
to 1950 form the core of the textile collection at the Millicent
Rogers Museum. The exquisite Navajo and Rio Grande weavings of the
region shared the collector's focus along with her treasured jewelry.
In addition to having an eye for high quality and a passion for
beauty, Rogers was a meticulous recordkeeper, documenting important
bits of information about each of her new acquisitions. Each object
was photographed and described, with information organized in a series
of notebooks, which also are part of the Museum's collection, offering
a unique picture of the Southwestern art market of the late 1940s. |
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Chief Blankets
The term "Chief Blanket" is a misnomer since the Navajo had no
chiefs in the strictest sense, and any member of the tribe may have
worn a Chief's Blanket. "Chief" refers to a specific wearing blanket
known as the "classic style," which developed from about 1800 to the
mid 1860s. The term may have resulted from the widespread trading of
these finely woven and highly prized blankets to other tribes and
their use by prominent men. These garments were wider than long and
worn draped around the shoulders. The Navajo added a center band to
the Pueblo-style cape, which had stripes parallel to the weft and wide
end bands at top and bottom.
The design of the Chief Blanket occurred in three phases. A First
Phase design consisted only of simple stripes. Second Phase blankets
have rectangular blocks of color inserted within the stripes, creating
a grid pattern. The Third Phase design has elaborate serated diamonds
and crosses arranged in three rows by three columns. Distinguishing
wide black and white bands are placed between the patterned area. The
Transitional Period occurred after 1870 when the Spanish fabric, known
as Bayeta, was replaced by American flannel, and aniline dyes from
Germantown, Pennsylvania were introduced over trading routes. The use
of aniline dyes was widespread due to the intensity of colors that
contributed to new design patterns and "eyedazzling" optical effects. |
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Colcha
The New Mexico style of colcha embroidery can betraced
to the 17th century Spanish Colonial Period and the
resettlement of New Mexico in 1692. It is probable that women at that
time embroidered decorative textiles for the church, home, and wear.
Among earlier items were embroidered shawls and tablecloths, and altar
cloths used in churches and chapels. Colcha design elements suggest
Oriental, Persian, and Moorish influence by way of Spain. Common
designs include the Tree of Life and star-like flowers (Persian), and
the rose and rose leaf (Chinese). Other design motifs, such as wild
and domestic animals, were indigenous to Northern New Mexico. The
zigzag design reveals a Pueblo influence.
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Rio
Grande Blanket,
Playing Card Design, c. 1900, MRM 1985-1-1
Third Phase Chief Blanket ,Navajo, c. 1880, MRM 1956-1-1
Colcha, Flowers and Birds, Commercial cotton and wool, Frances
Graves, Hispanic, c. 1968, MRM 1968-10-1 |
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Millicent
Rogers 